Letter-box



(No Model.) M

W. R. AUGUSTINE.

LETTER BOX.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEETcE.

\VILLIAM R. AUGUSTINE, OF ASPEN, COLORADO.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,308, dated January 1, 1889.

Application filed July 19, 1888. Serial No. 280,445. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. AUGUS- TINE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Aspen, county of Pitkin, State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a full and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail-boxes, the object being to provide means for preventing the abstraction of letters, &c., after the same have reached the interior of the mail-box.

The invention consists in combining with an ordinary mail-box a receiving section or tube, the upper and lower ends of which are provided with hinged doors or flaps connected in such manner that when the upper flap is opened the lower flaps will be closed, and thus shut off all communication with the box proper. The mail matter which may be dropped into the. additional section or tube will be arrested by the lower doors or flaps thereof and retained thereupon until the upper outer flap is closed, when the lower flaps swing downward and deposit the aforesaid matter within the lower section or box proper, from which it is removed by the collector in the usual way.

'In the accompanying drawings, Figurel represents a perspective view of'my invention, part of which is broken away ,in order to more fully illustrate its workin parts. Fig. 2 a side elevation, partly in section,of my improved section of the invention.

The letter A indicates the mail-box proper, and B the door through which the mail matter is removed therefrom.

My improved section is designated by the letter C, and has a flange, a, near its lower end to conform with the top of the mail-box, so as to neatly fit thereupon and be securely held in said position by means of bolts or other fastening devices.

The top of my improved section is provided with a hinged door or flap, D, having a curved front edge, e, and end pieces, f f, the former to make a close joint with the upperedge of the box-section, and the latter to prevent rain beating through the sides thereof as well as to receive pivots M, with which a pair of side rods, h 7L, connect with their respective lugs 7c k of the lower flaps, Z Z, as shown, so that the opening or closing of the top flap shall operate the lower flaps in a contrary direction thereto.

The sides of the section O are each provided with a recess, as shown at on m, of sufficient size and at such angle as to allow the rods h h to freely operate therein.

For a proper adjustment of my improved section to an ordinary mail-b0), the top of the latter must be provided with an opening of sufficient size to receive the lower part of my improved section and with small holes for the passage of the bolts or lugs whereby the fastening together of the sections is effected.

If desired, the flange of the section C may be made of sufficient size to serve as a cover to the mail-box proper and to take the place of same when applied to boxes now in use.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A receiving-section for mail-boxes, said section provided at its top with asingle flap and at its bottom with double flaps, the lower flaps independently connected with the upper flap by separate rods, and the section provided with a flange whereby it is adapted to be secured to the top of a mailbox, sub stantially as specified.

In combination with a mailbox having an opel'iing in the cover or top thereof, a receiving-section having one end adapted to fit within the aforesaid opening, and a flange and bolts for securing same in said position, the receiving-section provided at its top with a single flap and at its bottom with double flaps, the lower flaps independently connected with the top flap by means of rods, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. AUGUSTINE.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. STRUT, SILAs W. MILLER. 

